Blessed

Just as a blind man might find a jewel amongst heaps of rubbish, so this Spirit of Awakening has somehow arisen in me ... 

It is the supreme medicine that alleviates the illness of the world. It is the tree of rest for beings exhausted from wandering on the pathways of mundane existence. 

It is the universal bridge for all travelers on their crossing over ..." 

~ Shantideva

As I was running around town today doing my errands, I found myself stopped behind a car with an intriguing license plate. "BLSSD" it said.

My first thought was that it was an acronym for "BLESSED." Well, at least that was my hope.

I spent a few minutes wondering what the owner's life must be like that he or she felt so blessed to have a license plate which announced their joy to the world. What was going right in their life? What victories? What abundance?

And then I found myself pondering upon my own.

You see, tomorrow (Thursday) is my birthday, and each year when it comes around I take stock of the blessings I've experienced.

This year I feel especially blessed. Here's why:

~My husband and I continue to live in Love and Joy in our nest on the Bay. (He also has a new job for which we are most grateful when so many have lost theirs.)

~ We received the gift of a new grandbaby, our first boy.

~My book was published and I had a blast doing a book tour, seeing old friends and making new ones.

~My oldest daughter (a former Marine who served in Iraq) is recovering nicely from PTSD, so well, in fact, that she's gone back to school, holds down a great job, and is buying her first house—all by herself.

~My mother is alive and well and celebrating 80 years on this earth.

~My youngest daughter went off to college and the nest was empty (and I loved every moment of it.)

~ My health is better than it has ever been.

~ I have two dear loved ones who continue to embrace sobriety and work their recovery programs well.

~ I started this blog and much to my surprise found my life enriched by the presence of soulful new friends, some of whom, I suspect, will be lifelong friends.

~ The Muse continues to speak with me and I am working on a new book. ~ I have finally found the place of Stillness within me.

~ Perhaps the highlight of my year was spending 5 days receiving teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

This happened exactly one year ago this week and I've been reflecting on it more than ever. The ramifications and blessings continue to unfold. I live in amazement. And, synchronistically, it was on my 55th birthday that HH invited us to walk the Bodhisattva path with him:


"May I be a protector for those who are without protectors, a guide for travelers, and a boat, a bridge, and a ship for those who wish to cross over.

May I be a lamp for those who seek light, a bed for those seek rest, and may I be a servant for all beings who desire a servant.

To all sentient beings may I be a wish-fulfilling gem, a vase of good fortune, an efficacious mantra, a great medication, a wish-fulfilling tree, and wish-granting cow ...

So may I be in various ways a source of life for the sentient beings present throughout space until they all are liberated."*

I accepted ... and have never looked back. I thank God for my life. What a remarkable journey this has been!

And all this pondering while sitting at a traffic light looking at "BLSSD."

As the signal changed and I drove a bit further, staying close behind BLSSD, I had the sudden thought: What if BLSSD wasn't "Blessed" at all?

What if it was "BLISSED." Oh, that would be nice too. To live in Bliss. I hope he is.

Next year, perhaps, I'll take some of that ...

~~0~~

(The above photo is one of my favorites. It portrays a young Tibetan woman making offerings at the Long Life Ceremony honoring His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Madison, WI., July 2008. Photos courtesy of Deer Park Buddhist Center.


* A Guide to the Bodihisattva Way of Life by Shantideva.